1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a centrifugal wheel for a vehicle, and in particular, to a vehicle wheel having a plurality of pivoting elements that, when subjected to centripetal force, pivot to reshape a pneumatic tire attached to the wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
The automotive industry is on a quest to increase fuel economy. Factors contributing to inefficiencies in current automotive technology include weight and friction. Some studies indicate that 85% of the energy created by an engine is used to move a vehicle and not passengers. Friction from the engine itself and rolling resistance or friction created by a tire contacting the road contribute most to these inefficiencies.
Studies done by companies to utilize alternative sources of energy and vehicle design focus on reducing friction. Some experimental vehicles use some form of bicycle-type tire having a narrow profile providing relatively less surface area in which to make contact with the road, as compared with traditional vehicle tires.
While this type of tire works well with small, lightweight cars, it does not lend itself to larger, heavier vehicles especially when these vehicles attempt to accelerate and stop. These deficiencies are due to the fact that, while friction is a disadvantage when related to efficiency, friction is an advantage when related to accelerating and stopping. Moreover, accelerating and stopping maneuvers direct correlate to vehicle weight. Consequently, accelerating and stopping heavier vehicles is better performed using wider tires with more friction while accelerating and stopping lighter vehicles may be adequately performed using narrower tires with less friction.
Another deficiency of a traditional pneumatic tire relates to its dependence on air. If a tire becomes worn, a leak, or is punctured, air is exhausted and the tire becomes flat to the point where metal of the wheel rim comes to ground level. Flat tires are a common place and operators of a vehicle equipped with traditional pneumatic tires will more than likely experience a flat tire at some point.
A tire which has lost sufficient pressure to cause it to become distorted at the bottom will impair the stability of the vehicle and may further damage the tire if it is driven in this condition. The tire should be changed and/or repaired before it becomes completely flat. Continuing to drive the vehicle with an absolutely flat tire will likely damage the tire beyond repair, possibly damage the wheel and/or vehicle, and places the vehicle operator and other vehicles in danger. A flat tire should be considered an emergency situation, requiring immediate attention to rectify the problem.
In relatively less-common situations, the vehicle operator will experience a blowout. Blowouts can be deadly, especially if the blowout occurs when the vehicle is traveling at a high rate of speed. While wheel and tire designs have improved over time with the aim of reducing the likelihood of such, the possibility of experiencing a blowout still exists if a vehicle is equipped with pneumatic tires.
Obviously, when and where a flat tire or blowout occurs are uncontrollable factors. It is possible for such to occur in situations when stopping the vehicle would put the operator in harm's way. Examples of such include driving on bridges without shoulders, on desolate roads, or during extreme weather conditions. In these situations, the operator driver might choose to risk damaging the tire, wheel, and/or vehicle instead of stopping the vehicle to change the flat tire or wait for assistance.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new and unique design for an automobile wheel to achieve reduced friction and improved fuel economy while considering the need for acceleration and stopping, to increase safety by preventing blowouts, and to prevent damage to a vehicle if a tire becomes flat.